Dalrymple, Lord Hailes; Mr. Maclaurin[132], advocate; Dr. Gregory, whonow worthily fills his father's medical chair[133]; and my uncle, Dr.Boswell. This was one of Dr. Johnson's best days. He was quite in hiselement. All was literature and taste, without any interruption. LordHailes, who is one of the best philologists in Great Britain, who haswritten papers in _The World_[134], and a variety of other works inprose and in verse, both Latin and English, pleased him highly. He toldhim, he had discovered the life of _Cheynel_, in _The Student_[135], tobe his. JOHNSON. 'No one else knows it.' Dr. Johnson had, before this,dictated to me a law-paper, upon a question purely in the law ofScotland, concerning _vicious intromission_[136], that is to say,intermeddling with the effects of a deceased person, without a regulartitle; which formerly was understood to subject the intermeddler topayment of all the defunct's debts. The principle has of late beenrelaxed. Dr. Johnson's argument was, for a renewal of its strictness.The paper was printed, with additions by me, and given into the Court ofSession. Lord Hailes knew Dr. Johnson's part not to be mine, and pointedout exactly where it began, and where it ended. Dr. Johnson said, 'It ismuch, now, that his lordship can distinguish so.' In Dr. Johnson's_Vanity of Human Wishes_, there is the following passage:--'The teeming mother, anxious for her race,Begs, for each birth, the fortune of a face:Yet _Vane_ could tell, what ills from beauty spring,And _Sedley_ curs'd the charms which pleas'd a king[137].'Lord Hailes told him, he was mistaken in the instances he had given ofunfortunate fair ones; for neither _Vane_ nor _Sedley_ had a title tothat description. His Lordship has since been so obliging as to send mea note of this, for the communication of which I am sure my readerswill thank me.'The lines in the tenth Satire of Juvenal, according to my alteration,should have run thus:--'Yet _Shore_[138] could tell-----;And _Valiere_[139] curs'd------.''The first was a penitent by compulsion, the second by sentiment; thoughthe truth is, Mademoiselle de la Valiere threw herself (but still fromsentiment) in the King's way.'Our friend chose _Vane_[140], who was far from being well-looked; and_Sedley_, who was so ugly, that Charles II. said, his brother had her byway of penance[141].'Mr. Maclaurin's learning and talents enabled him to do his part verywell in Dr. Johnson's company. He produced two epitaphs upon hisfather, the celebrated mathematician[142]. One was in English, of whichDr. Johnson did not change one word. In the other, which was in Latin,he made several alterations. In place of the very words of _Virgil_,'_Ubi luctus et pavor et plurima mortis imago_[143],' he wrote '_Ubiluctus regnant et pavor_.' He introduced the word _prorsus_ into theline '_Mortalibus prorsus non absit solatium_,' and after '_Hujus enimscripta evolve_,' he added '_Mentemque tantarum rerum capacem corporicaduco superstitem crede_;' which is quite applicable to Dr. Johnsonhimself[144].Mr. Murray, advocate, who married a niece of Lord Mansfield's, and isnow one of the judges of Scotland, by the title of Lord _Henderland_,sat with us a part of the evening; but did not venture to say any thing,that I remember, though he is certainly possessed of talents which wouldhave enabled him to have shewn himself to advantage, if too greatanxiety had not prevented him.At supper we had Dr. Alexander Webster, who, though not, learned, hadsuch a knowledge of mankind, such a fund of information andentertainment, so clear a head and such accommodating manners, that Dr.Johnson found him a very agreeable companion.When Dr. Johnson and I were left by ourselves, I read to him my notes ofthe Opinions of our Judges upon the questions of Literary Property[145].He did not like them; and said, 'they make me think of your Judges notwith that respect which I should wish to do.' To the argument of one ofthem, that there can be no property in blasphemy or nonsense, heanswered, 'then your rotten sheep are mine! By that rule, when a man'shouse falls into decay, he must lose it.' I mentioned an argument ofmine, that literary performances are not taxed. As _Churchill_ says,'No statesman yet has thought it worth his painsTo tax our labours, or excise our brains[146];'and therefore they are not property. 'Yet, (said he,) we hang a man forstealing a horse, and horses are not taxed.' Mr. Pitt has since put anend to that argument[147].WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 18.On this day we set out from Edinburgh. We should gladly have had Mr.Scott to go with us; but he was obliged to return to England.--I havegiven a sketch of Dr. Johnson: my readers may wish to know a little ofhis fellow traveller[148]. Think then, of a gentleman of ancient blood,the pride of which was his predominant passion. He was then in histhirty-third year, and had been about four years happily married. Hisinclination was to be a soldier[149]; but his father, a respectable[150]Judge, had pressed him into the profession of the law. He had travelleda good deal, and seen many varieties of human life. He had thought morethan any body supposed, and had a pretty good stock of general learningand knowledge[151]. He had all Dr. Johnson's principles, with somedegree of relaxation. He had rather too little, than too much prudence;and, his imagination being lively, he often said things of which theeffect was very different from the intention[152]. He resembled sometimes'The best good man, with the worst natur'd muse[153].'He cannot deny himself the vanity of finishing with the encomium of Dr.Johnson, whose friendly partiality to the companion of his Tourrepresents him as one 'whose acuteness would help my enquiry, and whosegaiety of conversation, and civility of manners, are sufficient tocounteract the inconveniences of travel, in countries less hospitablethan we have passed[154].' Dr. Johnson thought it unnecessary to puthimself to the additional expence of bringing with him Francis Barber,his faithful black servant; so we were attended only by my man, JosephRitter, a Bohemian; a fine stately fellow above six feet high, who hadbeen over a great part of Europe, and spoke many languages. He was thebest servant I ever saw. Let not my readers disdain his introduction!For Dr. Johnson gave him this character: 'Sir, he is a civil man, and awise man[155].'From an erroneous apprehension of violence, Dr. Johnson had provided apair of pistols, some gunpowder, and a quantity of bullets: but uponbeing assured we should run no risk of meeting any robbers, he left hisarms and ammunition in an open drawer, of which he gave my wife thecharge. He also left in that drawer one volume of a pretty full andcurious Diary of his Life, of which I have a few fragments; but the bookhas been destroyed. I wish female curiosity had been strong enough tohave had it all transcribed; which might easily have been done; and Ishould think the theft, being _pro bono publico_, might have beenforgiven. But I may be wrong. My wife told me she never once looked intoit[156].--She did not seem quite easy when we left her: but awaywe went!Mr. Nairne, advocate, was to go with us as far as St. Andrews. It givesme pleasure that, by mentioning his _name_, I connect his title to thejust and handsome compliment paid him by Dr. Johnson, in his book: 'Agentleman who could stay with us only long enough to make us know howmuch we lost by his leaving us[157]. 'When we came to Leith, I talkedwith perhaps too boasting an air, how pretty the Frith of Forth looked;as indeed, after the prospect from Constantinople, of which I have beentold, and that from Naples, which I have seen, I believe the view ofthat Frith and its environs, from the Castle-hill of Edinburgh, is thefinest prospect in Europe. 'Ay, (said Dr. Johnson,) that is the state ofthe world. Water is the same every where."Una est injusti caerula forma maris[158]."'I told him the port here was the mouth of the river or water of _Leith_.'Not _Lethe_; said Mr. Nairne. 'Why, Sir, (said Dr. Johnson,) when aScotchman sets out from this port for England, he forgets his nativecountry.' NAIRNE. 'I hope, Sir, you will forget England here.' JOHNSON.'Then 'twill still be more _Lethe_' He observed of the Pier or Quay,'you have no occasion for so large a one: your trade does not requireit: but you are like a shopkeeper who takes a shop, not only for what hehas to put in it, but that it may be believed he has a great deal to putinto it.' It is very true, that there is now, comparatively, littletrade upon the eastern coast of Scotland. The riches of Glasgow shew howmuch there is in the west; and perhaps we shall find trade travelwestward on a great scale, as well as a small.We talked of a man's drowning himself. JOHNSON. 'I should never think ittime to make away with myself.' I put the case of Eustace Budgell[159],who was accused of forging a will, and sunk himself in the Thames,before the trial of its authenticity came on. 'Suppose, Sir, (said I,)that a man is absolutely sure, that, if he lives a few days longer, heshall be detected in a fraud, the consequence of which will be utterdisgrace and expulsion from society.' JOHNSON. 'Then, Sir, let him goabroad to a distant country; let him go to some place where he is _not_known. Don't let him go to the devil where he _is_ known!'He then said, 'I see a number of people bare-footed here: I suppose youall went so before the Union. Boswell, your ancestors went so, when theyhad as much land as your family has now. Yet _Auchinleck_ is the _Fieldof Stones_: there would be bad going bare-footed there. The _Lairds_,however, did it.' I bought some _speldings_, fish (generally whitings)salted and dried in a particular manner, being dipped in the sea anddried in the sun, and eaten by the Scots by way of a relish. He hadnever seen them, though they are sold in London. I insisted on_scottifying_[160] his palate; but he was very reluctant. Withdifficulty I prevailed with him to let a bit of one of them lie in hismouth. He did not like it.In crossing the Frith, Dr. Johnson determined that we should land uponInch Keith[161]. On approaching it, we first observed a high rockyshore. We coasted about, and put into a little bay on the North-west. Weclambered up a very steep ascent, on which was very good grass, butrather a profusion of thistles. There were sixteen head of black cattlegrazing upon the island. Lord Hailes observed to me, that Brantome callsit _L'isle des Chevaux_, and that it was probably 'a _safer_ stable'than many others in his time. The fort[162], with an inscription onit, _Maria Re_ 1564, is strongly built. Dr. Johnson examined it with muchattention. He stalked like a giant among the luxuriant thistles andnettles. There are three wells in the island; but we could not find onein the fort. There must probably have been one, though now filled up, asa garrison could not subsist without it. But I have dwelt too long onthis little spot. Dr. Johnson afterwards bade me try to write adescription of our discovering Inch Keith, in the usual style oftravellers, describing fully every particular; stating the grounds onwhich we concluded that it must have once been inhabited, andintroducing many sage reflections; and we should see how a thing mightbe covered in words, so as to induce people to come and survey it. Allthat was told might be true, and yet in reality there might be nothingto see. He said, 'I'd have this island. I'd build a house, make a goodlanding-place, have a garden, and vines, and all sorts of trees. A richman, of a hospitable turn, here, would have many visitors fromEdinburgh.' When we got into our boat again, he called to me, 'Come,now, pay a classical compliment to the island on quitting it.' Ihappened luckily, in allusion to the beautiful Queen Mary, whose name isupon the fort, to think of what Virgil makes Aeneas say, on having leftthe country of his charming Dido.'Invitus, regina, tuo de littore cessi[163].''Very well hit off!' said he.We dined at Kinghorn, and then got into a post-chaise[164]. Mr. Nairneand his servant, and Joseph, rode by us. We stopped at Cupar, and dranktea. We talked of parliament; and I said, I supposed very few of themembers knew much of what was going on, as indeed very few gentlemenknow much of their own private affairs. JOHNSON. 'Why, Sir, if a man isnot of a sluggish mind, he may be his own steward. If he will look intohis affairs, he will soon learn[165]. So it is as to publick affairs.There must always be a certain number of men of business in parliament.'BOSWELL. 'But consider, Sir; what is the House of Commons? Is not agreat part of it chosen by peers? Do you think, Sir, they ought to havesuch an influence?' JOHNSON. 'Yes, Sir. Influence must ever be inproportion to property; and it is right it should[166].' BOSWELL. 'Butis there not reason to fear that the common people may be oppressed?'JOHNSON. 'No, Sir. Our great fear is from want of power in government.Such a storm of vulgar force has broke in.' BOSWELL. 'It has onlyroared.' JOHNSON. 'Sir, it has roared, till the Judges inWestminster-Hall have been afraid to pronounce sentence in opposition tothe popular cry[167]. You are frightened by what is no longer dangerous,like Presbyterians by Popery.' He then repeated a passage, I think, in_Butler's Remains_, which ends, 'and would cry, Fire! Fire! in Noah'sflood[168].'We had a dreary drive, in a dusky night, to St. Andrews, where wearrived late. We found a good supper at Glass's inn, and Dr. Johnsonrevived agreeably. He said, 'the collection called _The Muses' Welcometo King James_, (first of England, and sixth of Scotland,) on his returnto his native kingdom, shewed that there was then abundance of learningin Scotland; and that the conceits in that collection, with which peoplefind fault, were mere mode.' He added, 'we could not now entertain asovereign so; that Buchanan had spread the spirit of learning amongstus, but we had lost it during the civil wars[169].' He did not allow theLatin Poetry of Pitcairne so much merit as has been usually attributedto it; though he owned that one of his pieces, which he mentioned, butwhich I am sorry is not specified in my notes, was, 'very well.' It isnot improbable that it was the poem which Prior has so elegantlytranslated[170].After supper, we made a _procession_ to _Saint Leonard's College_, thelandlord walking before us with a candle, and the waiter with a lantern.That college had some time before been dissolved; and Dr. Watson, aprofessor here, (the historian of Philip II.) had purchased the ground,and what buildings remained. When we entered this court, it seemed quiteacademical; and we found in his house very comfortable and genteelaccommodation[171].THURSDAY, AUGUST 19.We rose much refreshed. I had with me a map of Scotland, a bible whichwas given me by Lord Mountstuart when we were together in Italy[172],and Ogden's _Sermons on Prayer_; Mr. Nairne introduced us to Dr. Watson,whom we found a well-informed man, of very amiable manners. Dr. Johnson,after they were acquainted, said, 'I take great delight in him.' Hisdaughter, a very pleasing young lady, made breakfast. Dr. Watsonobserved, that Glasgow University had fewer home-students, since tradeincreased, as learning was rather incompatible with it. JOHNSON. 'Why,Sir, as trade is now carried on by subordinate hands, men in trade haveas much leisure as others; and now learning itself is a trade. A mangoes to a bookseller, and gets what he can. We have done withpatronage[173]. In the infancy of learning, we find some great manpraised for it. This diffused it among others. When it becomes general,an authour leaves the great, and applies to the multitude.' BOSWELL. 'Itis a shame that authours are not now better patronized.' JOHNSON. 'No,Sir. If learning cannot support a man, if he must sit with his handsacross till somebody feeds him, it is as to him a bad thing, and it isbetter as it is. With patronage, what flattery! what falsehood! While aman is in equilibrio, he throws truth among the multitude, and lets themtake it as they please: in patronage, he must say what pleases hispatron, and it is an equal chance whether that be truth or falsehood.'WATSON. 'But is not the case now, that, instead of flattering oneperson, we flatter the age?' JOHNSON. 'No, Sir. The world always lets aman tell what he thinks, his own way. I wonder, however, that so manypeople have written, who might have let it alone. That people shouldendeavour to excel in conversation, I do not wonder; because inconversation praise is instantly reverberated[174].'We talked of change of manners. Dr. Johnson observed, that our drinkingless than our ancestors was owing to the change from ale to wine.' Iremember, (said he,) when all the _decent_ people in Lichfield got drunkevery night, and were not the worse thought of[175]. Ale was cheap, soyou pressed strongly. When a man must bring a bottle of wine, he is notin such haste. Smoking has gone out. To be sure, it is a shocking thing,blowing smoke out of our mouths into other people's mouths, eyes, andnoses, and having the same thing done to us. Yet I cannot account, why athing which requires so little exertion, and yet preserves the mind fromtotal vacuity, should have gone out[176]. Every man has something bywhich he calms himself: beating with his feet, or so[177]. I rememberwhen people in England changed a shirt only once a week[178]: a Pandour,when he gets a shirt, greases it to make it last. Formerly, goodtradesmen had no fire but in the kitchen; never in the parlour, excepton Sunday. My father, who was a magistrate of Lichfield, lived thus.They never began to have a fire in the parlour, but on leaving offbusiness, or some great revolution of their life.' Dr. Watson said, thehall was as a kitchen, in old squires' houses. JOHNSON. 'No, Sir. Thehall was for great occasions, and never was used for domestickrefection[179].' We talked of the Union, and what money it had broughtinto Scotland. Dr. Watson observed, that a little money formerly went asfar as a great deal now. JOHNSON. 'In speculation, it seems that asmaller quantity of money, equal in value to a larger quantity, ifequally divided, should produce the same effect. But it is not so inreality. Many more conveniences and elegancies are enjoyed where moneyis plentiful, than where it is scarce. Perhaps a great familiarity withit, which arises from plenty, makes us more easily part with it.'After what Dr. Johnson had said of St. Andrews, which he had long wishedto see, as our oldest university, and the seat of our Primate in thedays of episcopacy, I can say little. Since the publication of Dr.Johnson's book, I find that he has been censured for not seeing herethe ancient chapel of _St. Rule_, a curious piece of sacredarchitecture.[180] But this was neither his fault nor mine. We were bothof us abundantly desirous of surveying such sort of antiquities: butneither of us knew of this. I am afraid the censure must fall on thosewho did not tell us of it. In every place, where there is any thingworthy of observation, there should be a short printed directory forstrangers, such as we find in all the towns of Italy, and in some of thetowns in England. I was told that there is a manuscript account of St.Andrews, by Martin, secretary to Archbishop Sharp;[181] and that oneDouglas has published a small account of it. I inquired at abookseller's, but could not get it. Dr. Johnson's veneration for theHierarchy is well known.[182] There is no wonder then, that he wasaffected with a strong indignation, while he beheld the ruins ofreligious magnificence. I happened to ask where John Knox was buried.Dr. Johnson burst out, 'I hope in the high-way.[183] I have been lookingat his reformations.'[184] It was a very fine day. Dr. Johnson seemedquite wrapt up in the contemplation of the scenes which were nowpresented to him. He kept his hat off while he was upon any part of theground where the cathedral had stood. He said well, that 'Knox had seton a mob, without knowing where it would end; and that differing from aman in doctrine was no reason why you should pull his house about hisears.' As we walked in the cloisters, there was a solemn echo, while hetalked loudly of a proper retirement from the world. Mr. Nairne said, hehad an inclination to retire. I called Dr. Johnson's attention to this,that I might hear his opinion if it was right. JOHNSON. 'Yes, when hehas done his duty to society[185]. In general, as every man is obligednot only to "love GOD, but his neighbour as himself," he must bear hispart in active life; yet there are exceptions. Those who are exceedinglyscrupulous, (which I do not approve, for I am no friend toscruples[186],) and find their scrupulosity[187] invincible, so thatthey are quite in the dark, and know not what they shall do,--or thosewho cannot resist temptations, and find they make themselves worse bybeing in the world, without making it better, may retire[188]. I neverread of a hermit, but in imagination I kiss his feet; never of amonastery, but I could fall on my knees, and kiss the pavement. But Ithink putting young people there, who know nothing of life, nothing ofretirement, is dangerous and wicked[189]. It is a saying as oldas Hesiod,Erga neon, boulaite meson, enchaite geronton[190].That is a very noble line: not that young men should not pray, or oldmen not give counsel, but that every season of life has its properduties. I have thought of retiring, and have talked of it to a friend;but I find my vocation is rather to active life.' I said, some youngmonks might be allowed, to shew that it is not age alone that can retireto pious solitude; but he thought this would only shew that they couldnot resist temptation.He wanted to mount the steeples, but it could not be done. There are nogood inscriptions here. Bad Roman characters he naturally mistook forhalf Gothick, half Roman. One of the steeples, which he was told was indanger, he wished not to be taken down; 'for, said he, it may fall onsome of the posterity of John Knox; and no great matter!'--Dinner wasmentioned. JOHNSON. 'Ay, ay; amidst all these sorrowful scenes, I haveno objection to dinner[191].'We went and looked at the castle, where Cardinal Beaton wasmurdered[192], and then visited Principal Murison at his college, whereis a good library-room; but the Principal was abundantly vain of it, forhe seriously said to Dr. Johnson, 'you have not such a one inEngland.'[193]The professors entertained us with a very good dinner. Present: Murison,Shaw, Cook, Hill, Haddo, Watson, Flint, Brown. I observed, that Iwondered to see him eat so well, after viewing so many sorrowful scenesof ruined religious magnificence. 'Why, said he, I am not sorry, afterseeing these gentlemen; for they are not sorry.' Murison said, allsorrow was bad, as it was murmuring against the dispensations ofProvidence. JOHNSON. 'Sir, sorrow is inherent in humanity. As you cannotjudge two and two to be either five, or three, but certainly four, so,when comparing a worse present state with a better which is past, youcannot but feel sorrow.[194] It is not cured by reason, but by the